NC auditor: DHHS improperly paid $580K in overtime

AP

Published: Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 3:44 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 3:44 p.m.

RALEIGH (AP) — A state audit says 12 employees working on North Carolina's troubled computer system for processing Medicaid claims were paid $580,758 in overtime without proper approval or documentation.

The audit released Thursday says the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services employees who received the payments were ineligible for overtime, but the money was paid through a policy exception.

The audit says $237,000 was paid to the director of the state's Medicaid Management Information System as part of an effort to implement software changes that were supposed to save the state millions. Instead, the project is two years behind schedule and has cost more than twice the original price tag of $265 million.

New DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos (vahsh) said she has already taken steps to improve accountability within the agency.

<p>RALEIGH (AP) — A state audit says 12 employees working on North Carolina's troubled computer system for processing Medicaid claims were paid $580,758 in overtime without proper approval or documentation.</p><p>The audit released Thursday says the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services employees who received the payments were ineligible for overtime, but the money was paid through a policy exception.</p><p>The audit says $237,000 was paid to the director of the state's Medicaid Management Information System as part of an effort to implement software changes that were supposed to save the state millions. Instead, the project is two years behind schedule and has cost more than twice the original price tag of $265 million.</p><p>New DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos (vahsh) said she has already taken steps to improve accountability within the agency.</p>